It was about midday on a Saturday when June walked into Max’s laundromat with Eddy, her fiancée who Max had met once before. June’s grandparents had been Max’s customers for many years and as they had gotten older June had more frequently brought their washing in and collected it.
June says to Max:
“I think that my grandma is very sick. I come to see my grandparents every Saturday morning and my granny looked very tired today. She was so pale with shadows under her eyes. Her hands were shaking and she refused to eat. When I suggested to my grandpa that we should take her to the hospital, he just said that granny would be alright.”
June (with tears forming in her eyes):
“I know they are hiding something from me – something terrible! Granny is very ill.”
Max looked at Eddy who had taken a handkerchief from his pocket. Max thought he was going to give it to June to wipe away her tears, but instead he blew his nose. And, he blew it so hard that it started to bleed and the handkerchief was soon covered in blood.
June:
“Oh! Eddy. I have a small handkerchief in my bag. Here take it, and put yours in the washing.”
Eddy:
“Your grandma will be OK. I sometimes get a blood-nose when I am worried.”
June looked at Eddy in a loving way and gave him a little kiss. Max then put the washing, including Eddy’s bloody handkerchief in Fran and pressed the required buttons.
When she started washing, Fran said “hello” to the dirty things that Max had put in her. This included Eddy’s bloody handkerchief. There were also some red spots on a dress. The dress was not happy about being washed with a bloody handkerchief and hastened to explain that the red spots were wine.
Scene in Cuban bar:
June’s grandparents in a Cuban bar dancing salsa and drinking rum, and ‘grandma’ finishing-off with sangria.
Scene in Grandparents apartment:
Grandma is at home sitting in a chair and looking unhappy and tired. June is there and obviously worried.
June:
“Grandpa. We need to take grandma to the hospital.”
Grandpa:
“She will be ok. She just had a ‘crazy night’.”
Fran laughed, saying: “You mean that June’s grandma only looks ill because she has a hang-over?” “Yes”, said the dress. To the annoyance of the dress, the handkerchief now joined to laughter, before saying: “It is even funnier. Wait to you hear the whole story!”
Scene in Grandparents apartment:
Eddy whispers to June:
“If she dies, he might follow pretty soon, and then you should inherit this apartment.”
June says to Eddy (with a horrified look on her face):
“Don’t say that!”
Several hours later both June and Eddy retuned to the laundromat to collect the washing. Neither seemed very happy.
June:
“Max. Do you know what a gold-digger is?”
Eddy:
“I only asked ‘grandpa’ who he would leave the apartment to when he died?”
June:
“Yes. He laughed so much that I thought he was going to die! He saw right through you. I think that our relationship is over. I cannot marry you.”
Eddy has a unhappy look on his face, and the scene ends, with Max having a slight smile on his face.